Written by

Joey Garrison

The Tennessean

Timelapse: Music City Center rises from the ground: Watch as Nashville's Music City Center, construction that has been years in the making, rises from the ground to its completion, in less than 2 minutes.

Music City Center had its ribbon-cutting ceremony a week ago, but key members of its construction team aren’t going anywhere just yet.

In fact, some of the people hired to oversee the most expensive municipally financed project in Tennessee history have been given the job of leading a trio of new civic construction projects: a $7 million south entrance to Bridgestone Arena, a $4 million Metro police Central Precinct and an $850,000 outer “skin” to make cosmetic changes to a Nashville Electric Service substation.

These assignments came earlier this year from the nine-member Nashville Convention Center Authority, which has expanded its focus since Mayor Karl Dean first appointed the oversight board four years ago.

On Thursday, the authority approved a staffing plan that will phase out as early as June 30 some employees who worked to get the $585 million Music City Center off the ground while employing a few others into 2014.

“Definitely our role has expanded over time, but if you want the kind of smart growth and proper planning for that area, then I think it’s appropriate,” authority member Leo Waters said.

Metro bylaws give the authority the broad power to construct, promote and finance “any and all” facilities related to the convention center.

In January, the authority allocated nearly $540,000 to begin planning for green space on the 11-acre riverfront property south of Broadway where a thermal plant was destroyed by fire more than a decade ago, as well as a new pedestrian bridge to provide access to The Gulch neighborhood.

But Metro Finance Director Rich Riebeling said he doesn’t envision the convention center authority taking on any more downtown construction projects. He cited the benefits of keeping the current team in place for the arena and police precinct projects, even though this caliber of work is nothing new to Metro.

“It’s cheaper because you don’t have to marshal another whole construction crew and team of people,” Riebeling said. “You already have them all there.”

Funding for the arena upgrades and the police precinct projects was approved by the Metro Council. Oversight of the arena construction followed an agreement with the Metro Sports Authority.

Contract change order spurs criticism

Bell/Clark Construction, the joint venture firm that led Music City Center’s 3½-year construction project, has already shifted its focus. This came from a change order to its original contract — not a traditional bidding process — which drew criticism from some quarters.

Metro Councilwoman Emily Evans, a frequent critic of no-bid activity, called a change order of this scale “not appropriate at all” because none of the projects warrant swift, urgent action.

Among those retained by the authority is Larry Atema, its senior project manager, who receives $300,000 a year through a contract with his firm, Commonwealth Development. The contract expires at the end of this year.

Atema, who will continue in the same role, said immediate convention center business includes officially “turning the building over” by closing out deals with subcontractors. His operations team is also finalizing deals for a single restaurant and retail space in the new facility, he said.

Patrick Holcombe, the authority’s project manager, who is slated to stick around into next year, said construction of the police precinct and NES shell will “coincide together.”

The two facilities border each other along the revamped Korean Veterans Boulevard. The new NES substation replaced one that sat on the convention center’s footprint. Some have questioned whether the high-profile site is suited for a police precinct, but plans continue to move forward.

Construction is set to begin by July, officials say, as is work on the south side of Bridgestone Arena. The latter project is meant to complement the entranceway of the convention center. It also will include various retail outlets.